Diet for Lowering High Blood Potassium

Select low-potassium foods to avoid high potassium blood levels.

High potassium in your blood can occur as a result of trauma, medications or kidney failure. If left uncontrolled, elevated potassium can lead to a heart attack. It is important that your doctor review your medications to see if any are causing your high potassium level. Becoming aware of the foods you are eating and reducing intake of those with high potassium levels can also help fix this condition.

Read Labels

Reading labels can help you identify foods containing potassium. Look in the ingredients for any item with the word "potassium" and reduce intake of these foods. When cooking, use low-potassium herbs such as rosemary, thyme or oregano instead of salt substitutes. Many low-sodium foods, such as canned soups or packaged foods, replace sodium chloride with potassium chloride. Being aware of this ingredient can limit the amount of potassium you are eating.

Whole-Grain Foods and Nuts

While whole-grain foods and nuts have lots of nutrients and fiber, they are also high-potassium foods. In order to lower your potassium intake, skip whole-wheat bread and pasta, whole-grain rice and bran cereal. Instead, choose lower-fiber white versions of these foods for your diet. Nuts can also be a problem, especially because people often eat more than the recommended 1-ounce portion. Alternate snack choices in place of nuts are crackers, popcorn or tortilla chips.

Beverages

Many of the liquids you drink are naturally high in potassium and need to be monitored. Cow and soy milk are both high-potassium drinks. Replace these beverages with nonenriched rice milk. Tomato and orange juice are two additional beverages that have a high potassium content. Select grape, apple or cranberry juice as a replacement. Sports drinks with added electrolytes can also contribute dietary potassium if you are not careful. Read the labels on these drinks and avoid those with high amounts of potassium.

Fruits, Vegetables and Legumes

Packed with nutrients, certain fruits, vegetables and legumes have a high amount of potassium and should be limited in your diet. Bananas, oranges, cantaloupe, prunes, tomatoes, potatoes, cooked spinach, avocado, split peas, lentils and baked beans all contain more than 200 milligrams of potassium per serving. Limit these foods and portion sizes to decrease intake of dietary potassium. Since these foods are part of a balanced diet, you should replace them with lower potassium choices such as applesauce, grapes, canned peaches or pears, green beans, lettuce, cooked summer squash and bell peppers.

About the Author

Stacey Phillips is a registered dietitian and nutrition writer. She has had articles and patient information handouts published in the "Renal Nutrition Forum" and the "Journal of Renal Nutrition." She holds a Bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana and a Masters degree at Central Michigan University.